Ferguson vs. Nijem

With Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in the books, only the
finale remains left unsettled.

Ramsey
Nijem and Tony
Ferguson will square off in the welterweight final on Saturday
at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, with a contract and job
security on the line. Perhaps the most entertaining factor at the
reality series finales has been seeing how much some fighters have
refined and improved their games. The hectic schedule of a six-week
season and multiple fights in such a tight time frame can often
prove deceptive when compared to the final product that
emerges.

In the most anticipated bout on the lineup, former WEC lightweight
champion Anthony
Pettis meets the always-exciting Clay Guida
with title shot implications in play.

The Matchup: The welterweight final
matches two strong wrestlers, both of whom showed capable finishing
skills en route to making it here.

Ferguson’s ability to work in the pocket and choose his shots was
impressive in his semi-final win over Chuck
O'Neil. Interestingly, he declined to go into O’Neil’s guard on
a couple of occasions, preferring to work on the feet. It paid off,
as he mixed in a series of leg kicks and strong punches for the
eventual stoppage in the third round.

Nijem was a wild man in the competition, going after opponents with
unbridled aggression. His striking is far less refined than
Ferguson’s, and his wrestling will either make or break his hopes
in this match. Nijem threw looping, ill-advised punches in his
semi-final win over Chris Cope,
but Ferguson should be able to counter these with great effect if
Nijem has not tightened up his strikes.

The Pick: Ferguson may have the better
wrestling in the MMA context, where striking skills are a huge
modifier. Expect both to have improved considerably from their
exhibitions on the show, but as the superior striker, go with
Ferguson via clear-cut decision.